Went back to Chili’s in Paramus tonight.  Mike, Jess, and Carrie came along with Nick and I.  We had fun.  Also bought some deeper red dye to tint the highlights in my hair that already washed out to pink.  Cyclamen and Burgandy should mix into a cool crimsony shade that makes the blond pop.

Didn’t do much else today, just took it easy.  Nick’s sister invited us to join them in Spain for Easter, they’ve got access to some huge house we can stay in for free.  I told Nick I’d think about it… awesome as it sounds, I’ve been excited to finally take a trip where it’s just us two.  I know we’d have fun with his family again, I just really want him all to myself so we can start exploring these things as a couple instead of in a group.  Plus he and his sister are so close it’s impossible to feel like you’re not interrupting them when they’re together.  We’ll see.

Mom called tonight.  G’pa has lung cancer and they’re not sure he’s going to last long.  He’s too frail to do a proper biopsy, so this is very sad and serious.  She sounded so distraught, he’s really become a father figure to her in ways and I know he’s grown to love her like his own kid.  Amazing to see, especially for somebody who resisted her the way he did just for being mexican.  I feel weird thinking we might lose him, but I’ll admit not as emotionally impacted as I was when G’ma went tho.  I feel bad admitting that even to myself.

Oh I’m also annoyed b/c apparently the company who manufactures the frames I ordered is going out of business and not accepting any new orders.  Damn, I was so excited about those white frames too.  Found a website listing NYC dealers who supposedly carry the brand so we’ll see what I can find.

Nick cleaned the kitchen really thoroughly today.  He’s such a good little houseboy.

If 2007 was a year of Change in my life, and 2008 was a year of Bliss, then 2009 is going to be a year of Clarity & Progress.  I’m calling it now.  It’s not enough to just learn what I want, I have to build on that too — in this year, I see my goals coming into clearer shape, and see myself making progress on them.  This is my effort.

By the way, if Anderson Cooper laying his hand on Kathy Griffin’s arm last night and saying, “Honey” in that oooh, girlfriend way isn’t the biggest indicator of his fabulous faggotry then I don’t know what is.  That sexy silver fox finally coming out this year would be the best thing to happen since Crumbs cupcakes, yo.

Worked an evening shift today, which I hate doing, but it was a trade-off for having last night free.  The energy was dead (almost depressing, really) and I quickly rediscovered why I can’t stand the evening shifts (”Is there anything good to do tonight?”) but for the sake of a new year in front of me and trying to reset my habits, I tried to just stay upbeat and enjoy the lowkey mood of the hotel tonight.  

It’s 2009.  I’m getting direction, losing 25lbs, and becoming a cool 30yr old hot adult with his shit together.  Just watch me. 

Saying a big goodbye and a big hello within just one minute.  Always an amazing moment for me.

It just occurred to me that this past weekend was the last weekend of 2008.  Glad I made it a good one.

Saturday afternoon after work I wandered around Soho and NoLita, just aimless and looking for something to do.  Did some window shopping and stuff but the truth is I was dying for a cocktail hour.  The fact that I was desperate for a cocktail @ 3:45p should probably concern my slightly, but truth is, I just wanted to chill.  I had no plans for the evening, just knew I didn’t want to head home so early the day b/c I’d only end up stir crazy by 8pm.  Ended up meeting Karen for Cocomo’s @ YumYum Bangkok, which lead to more drinks @ Vlada, then Posh, where I caught glimpse of  a bitter exfling who went creepy psycho on me once way backw hen (to this day still the only sex I totally regret), at which point I grabbed my shit and left promptly.  Karen and I when went to Therapy where we metup with Patrick, Laura, Greg, his bf Pete, and a bunch of straight girls.  Yes by 10pm I was trashed.  Then Nick joined us after work and we all went to Tonic, that awful sports bar in Times Square  where I did an actual shot of Baileys and nearly threw up the chicken tenders I was eating.  We called it a night after that… but man, what a fun night.  Very New York, in that way that it happened w/o anyone planning it.

Sunday Nick and I slept in blissful gluttons and eventually started doing housework.  The apartment was so spotless last week when we had Karen over for Christmas Eve dinner that it’s inspired us (ahem, him) to be better about keeping things tidy, dishes washed, and shit put away for the New Year.  We also reorganized the kitchen/dining area so it feels more open.  The fridge has been way too big to fit into it’s actual space in the kitchen so for years I’ve just kept it in the dining space, but now it’s back in the kitchen.  We’ll just deal with the inconvenience of it’s size.  Style always wins out in the end, mmkay? 

Later that night we went to grabbed a bite @ New Wave (I love the Bananas Foster Waffles), then stopped off @ Crumbs for more glutton fuel — we’ve gradually tasted every flavor of cupcake at this point and have discovered what we like and don’t care for.  I’m all about the Raspberry Swirls and Nick loves the Snickers/Caramel Chew.  We lugged our many cupcakes with us to the 10pm of Slumdog Millionare, which was so beautiful and moving that I still keep thinking about it.  The story was very heavy and emotionally exhausting but still simple and the end was uplifting — the end credits were my favorite part.  Every movie should end with a group Bollywood number.  Shit, every day in real life should too.

Monday we went to see about getting a storage unit in the basement of our building.  Nick had the idea of just renting one ($25 a month) to put shit we need but don’t want clogging up closets, like the air conditioners and summer clothes and the Christmas tree, etc.  We started the paperwork and everything so I look forward to reorganizing a lot.  I think once we do a big purge and storing away, we’ll be ready to bring in a housekeeper in to get to work on our floors & surfaces.  I never thought I’d pay somebody to come in and scrub my floors but dammit, I’m just not willingt o clean them myself and so if we can find a nice little Dominican lady in the Heights who will work cheap, let me floors shine.  It’s my final grand step in becoming one of those New Yorkers I hate.

Monday night we trekked down to meet a bunch of friends & folks for Money Wheel @ Urge Lounge, where I’d taken Nick after dinner on our first date last year.   Everyone had fun and got drunk as hell, I recall many cocktails, and Gusty Winds our drag queen hostess was flirting all night with my boyfriend.  Slut.   Nick was so cute, he’d been drinking voda redbulls, which had him drunk but hyper.   By the end of the night we’d made the neghborhood rounds, wandered in (and quickly out) of Sin Sin Leopard Lounge (home of some dancefloor scandal once upon a time), and closed down Dtox next door and finally cabbed home around 4am. 

Tonight we hopped the bus to Chili’s in Paramus.  I haven’t been there in FOREVER and damn it was just what I was in the mood for: chicken fried steak, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, garlic bread, and unlimited refills of mango iced tea.  That grub was some sexual orgasmic sensation in my mouth, no joke.  Afterwards we came back home and I made a quick trip to Target to get a few storage tubs for the basement space we’re getting.  I seriously can’t wait.  A new year is coming up and it’s time to clear out some room, methinks.

What a wonderful, random weekend; a great close to this year of ecnomic stress and political scares.  And I got to spend it all with Nick and friends.  I’ve been very very happy this year, I don’t think this happy in a long time.  My heart is full.

I splurged today.  Merry Christmas to me.

I’ve been wanting a pair of solid white, chunky frames but haven’t been able to find anything good.  I did a google image search for “white eyeglass frames” and on the first image I discovered the Bed Head Eyewear Collection, which is EXACTLY what I wanted.  Finally found a dealer who sells them and, thanks to their Live Sales Chat agent Veronica,  got an amazing deal on three pairs WITH prescription and freebies tossed in.  That last pair at the bottom is actually white and clear.  I’m so excited!  

Didn’t have much luck with the rest of my shopping endeavors.  I read all these articles and blurbs that today was supposed to be some big day of monster sales and bigass discounts, especially @ Circuit City cuz they’re going bankrupt, so I ran like hell with my CC in hand only to find hardly anything marked down.  LIES.  Absolutely NOTHING amazing about the sales today, dammit.  I was hoping to get a cheapass laptop for us to use @ work, something I could buy and then sell to the hotel.  No luck.  Did get mom a really cute red jacket from Pearl River, tho.  Her bday is next weekish.

Not much else, it was a lowkey night afterwork.  Came home, laid around, caught up on some back episodes of “The Mentalist”.  Simon Baker is sexy.

It was so nice to see Mike & Jess today, and have them all to myself to hang out with.  I’m so used to sharing them with groups.  The 3 of us made a bloodpact to go on diets and get fucking skinny next year, starting with first giving up soda.  Meanwhile they got me a $25 giftcard to Crumbs Bakery.  

I got Nick a mini 250GB external drive for his laptop and an appointment for appointment @ Devachan Departure Lounge.  He’s never gotten a facial before (heh) and they do amazing work there.  I tried them out recently and it was heaven, so I think he’s going to love it there.  He got me Eureka: Season 1 and Casino Royale, despite his unhappiness with my crushes on Colin Ferguson and Daniel Craig.  That’s real love, yo.

It’s always interesting and funny to think that other people out there in the world beyond my life and my computer might make it a point to log on and actually check my blog.  They email me from time to time, often leave comments on my entries that they relate to, and probably wish me well… which I believe helps me out on days when I’m down.  The idea that grownass strangers I don’t know come to this page, and have maybe been coming here for years, to follow up on what’s up with me and mine… I forget about this little reality a lot, and when I’m reminded it’s always bemusing.

Stan is one of the bloggy folks who’s been checking up on (and sometimes checking in with) me for years.  Actual years!  I got an email from him today and instantly recognized his name in my inbox.  I was happy to see he’d taken the time to shoot me a few words — then I read the first sentence and saw words I didn’t like.  STROKE.  Hospital.  Can’t move right side of body.  Worst of all: FACEBOOK blocked by the hospital network!  What the hell?!   The good news is that Stan’s spirits are up up up and like Britney, he’s motivated to bounce back.  He’s not having this bullshit take him down, he’s going to be OK.  It just makes me kinda sad thinking about anyone having to deal with this situation, much less be stuck in a hospital over the holidays.

Stan, I’m thinking about you, sir.  You’re gonna push up from this situation.  You’re going to have hard days too, and if you have trouble finding your joy or hope, here’s something that used to keep me motivated back when my own health situation was scaring the hell out of me.  Hang in there.

watch the trailor for Were the World Mine HERE

By the way, Nick is listening to “Twilight” on audiobook.  I am NOT impressed.